This Week In Cubs History – 01/28/07

This Week In Cubs History returns to the CCO…. Every Sunday from now to the start of the season there will be a weekly recap on what has taken place in the history of the Chicago National League Ball Club. Some entries will be direct days in Cubs history, some will have trades or signings that helped the Cubs land future players and in some instances future Hall of Famers, along with occasional birthdays….for instance, Ernie Banks will turn 76 this Wednesday.

This was the week the National League released its first 162 game schedule, William A. Hulbert, former owner of the Cubs, organized the National League in 1876 and Sammy Sosa was traded to the Orioles in 2005.

1917 – Grover Cleveland Alexander (1918-1926) announced he was ready to retire from professional baseball if his salary demands were not met. Alexander demanded a 3-year contract worth $15,000 per year.

1927 – National League President, John Heydler ruled Rogers Hornsby (1929-1932) could not continue to hold stock in the Cardinals and play for the Giants

1898 – Cap Anson was fired after 19 years as player-manager (22 years as a player) of the Chicago National League Ball Club, Inc. Anson won 1,288 games and 5 pennants and was very popular in Chicago. Tom Burns (1880-1891, 1898-1899 manager) replaced Anson and the team became known as the Orphans.

February 1

2002 – The White Sox signed Kenny Lofton (2003)

1995 – The owners agreed to revoke their arbitrarily imposed salary cap and return to the old agreement

1965 – Ed Bailey (1965) was traded to the Giants for Bill O’Dell. Bailey played 66 games for the Cubs in 1965

1962 – The National League released its first 162 game schedule

1954 – The Milwaukee Braves traded Johnny Antonelli, Don Liddle, Billy Klaus and Ebba St. Claire to the New York Giants for Bobby Thompson (1958-1959)

1912 – Jim Doyle (1911) died at the age of 30 after an appendicitis operation. He played only one full season in the Major Leagues

1910 – The Chicago National League Ball Club, Inc. acquired Ginger Beaumont (1910) from the Boston Braves for Fred Liese. Liese did not play a single game for the Chicago organization

1876 – William A. Hulbert, the Cubs first owner, organized the National League at New York’s Grand Central Hotel. Charter teams are Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Hartford, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia and St. Louis

February 2

2005 – After all the rumors and speculation, the Sammy Sosa trade to the Baltimore Orioles was made official. The Cubs sent Sosa to the Orioles for Jerry Hairston, Jr., Mike Fontenot and David Crouthers.

2005 – The Cubs signed Jeromy Burnitz (2005)

1976 – Fred Lindstrom (1935) was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee.

1975 – Neifi Perez, born

1964 – Burleigh Grimes (1932-1933) was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee as a part of the largest Veterans Class ever.

1943 – After experimenting with a vest worn over knit jerseys, the Cubs returned to conventional baggy flannels for 1943. The uniform change saved the Cubs $2,000 on the cost of uniforms

1930 – The Yankees traded/sold Leo Durocher (Manager 1966-1972) to the Reds. Rumors were Durocher was stealing money and jewelry from his teammates according to Urban Shocker.